2026 Global Meetings & Events Forecast PDF Free Download
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2026 Global
Meetings & Events
Forecast
Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026 2
Welcome
Top ve takeaways
Global outlook
Making meaningful connections
Meet the modern meetings strategist
Technology elevates the attendee journey
ROI – or ROE?
Five action areas for 2026
Regional views
Acknowledgments
03
04
05
11
18
24
28
31
32
37
Contents
Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026 3
After several years of upheaval,
the 2026 Global Forecast nds
the meetings sector settling into
its new normal. We’re seeing
greater consistency when it
comes to strategy and meeting
management. For the second year
running, meeting professionals
share the same priority – delivering
exceptional experiences. And in-
person meetings are now rmly
the norm, not the exception.
These signs of stability are
welcome – and they’re fueling
growing optimism about the
industry’s prospects. Underpinning
that positivity is the potential
of articial intelligence (AI) to
transform our industry and
supercharge our capabilities.
Welcome to the 15th edition
of the Global Meetings and
Events Forecast
As the research shows, meeting
professionals understand that AI
can help us work smarter, unlock
creativity, and drive engagement
to new heights. And they aren’t
waiting for this to happen; many
plan to deploy AI right across
the meetings journey in the
year ahead. I’m inspired by their
determination to shape the future.
The Global Forecast is about
starting a conversation about the
future of our industry, so please
get in touch with your views.
Thank you to everyone who
contributed their expertise
and insight. We couldn’t do it
without your partnership.
Saludos,
Gerardo Tejado Donde
Senior Vice President
Professional Services
Amex GBT
4Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Five top takeaways Now in its 15th year, the Amex GBT Global Meetings and Events Forecast sets the agenda for the
global meetings and events industry, dening the themes that’ll shape our industry over the
next twelve months.
Methodology
The 2026 Global Meetings and Events Forecast is based on a survey of 601 meeting professionals in eight countries carried out by YouGov. The eldwork took place between July 14 – 21, 2025.
The Global Forecast industry panel – made up of Amex GBT M&E customers, partners, and specialists – provides insights and commentary throughout the report.
Optimism at a ve-
year high – but rising
costs cause concern
AI is going to
be everywhere
Top priority –
creating engaging
experiences
4Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Audiences want
active involvement
Smarter meetings
measurement is on
the way
Compared to ve years ago,
attendees want meetings to
give them more:
said interactivity,
for example,
workshops.
42%
said opportunities
to socialize with
other attendees.
40%
said visible
sustainability
measures.
40%
Meeting professionals plan to
adopt AI and digital tools to
capture the value of meetings.
28%
use AI for
post-event evaluation.
36%
use data and ROI
measurement tools.
38%
say cost will be #1 challenge.
85%
meeting professionals
“optimistic” for the sector
in 2026.
Meeting professionals’ #1
priority – for the second year
in a row:
Improving attendee experience
with more memorable events.
will use AI to
track attendee
experience.
embrace AI
throughout the
meetings journey.
will use AI to
generate creative
concepts.
will deliver
AI-powered
event apps.
50%
34%
40%
28%
1 2 3 4 5
5Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Global outlook
Meeting professionals feel good about the health of the meetings and events
sector. 85% are “optimistic” about the year ahead, exceeding anything we’ve
seen since 2021.1
What explains the upbeat industry mood? Part of the explanation: The meetings
sector is stabilizing after half a decade of unpredictability and change. Throughout
the Global Forecast, we see signs of continuity as meeting professionals maintain
focus on the same strategic priorities and practices, year-on-year.
Technology is another important factor in the optimism. As we show, meeting
professionals are deploying digital solutions – including AI-enabled tools – right
across their programs. This could help them unlock savings that they can redirect
into improving attendee experience.
Meeting professionals expect budgets to increase in 2026 – but they may not
increase enough to keep pace with rising prices. Technology could help them
close the gap.
Optimism is at a ve-year high as global meetings stabilize. Great expectations
for 2026
“Talking with customers, you get this sense of
growing condence and that’s feeding through
to increased optimism and activity.”
Jennifer Nelson
Vice President, Strategic Meetings,
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
3%
neither pessimistic
nor optimistic
11%
less optimistic
57%
optimistic
5%
signicantly increasing
36%
increasing
47%
slightly increasing
6%
staying the same
5%
decreasing
Meetings budgets
expected to rise
28%
very optimistic
Please indicate whether overall
spend for meetings and events within
your organization is increasing or
decreasing for 2026.
Overall, how optimistic or pessimistic
are you in relation to the health of the
meetings and events sector in 2026?
1 Global Meetings and Events Forecasts, Amex GBT. 2022 - 2024.
6Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Rising costs are
#1 challenge
Optimism is a headline for 2026 – but the bright outlook could be
clouded by concerns about rising costs, followed by concerns about the
the broader economic climate. Budget cuts are also seen as challenge.
said cost
What could make meeting planning
more of a challenge in 2026?
38%
1
said designing events that meet
the needs of today’s attendees
31%
3
said economic uncertainty
32%
2
said budget cuts
30%
4
said location availability
28%
5
Which of the following areas, if any, do you see as
challenges for meeting planning in 2026?
7Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Conference without trade show / exhibit
Top 5 meeting types expected to
see cost increases
1
Product launch
3
Incentive / special event
2
Healthcare professional (HCP) meetings
4
Internal team meeting / training
5
Please indicate how the total cost per attendee for all meeting types is changing for 2026. Based on
total meeting budget divided by total planned attendees excluding air costs.
It’s no surprise that cost tops the list of challenges for 2026. Seven in ten (71%) M&E professionals
anticipate cost increases in the year ahead. While Amex GBT’s Hotel Monitor forecasts moderate
hotel rate rises for 2026, wage ination and food and beverage price rises will push up costs.2
Costs per attendee on the up
6%
signicantly increasing (+11% or more)
27%
increasing
21%
staying the same
2%
decreasing
38%
slightly increasing
6%
slightly decreasing
1%
signicantly decreasing
2 Hotel Monitor 2026. Amex GBT. August 2025.
8Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
While time-tested tactics – like downgrading venue or shifting to virtual formats – can help manage
rising costs, meeting professionals are exploring more innovative approaches. More than a third (35%)
seek to boost their budgets by winning supplementary funding (e.g., from sponsorship). One member
of our industry panel describes how organizations have started charging for exclusive C-suite access,
oering attendees an opportunity to sit down with senior leaders. Another interview panel member
shared how hosting events in secondary cities or on Mondays or Fridays – often less preferred days –
has become a common cost-saving approach.
more virtual
meetings
39%1
change in venue
30%3
seek funding
35%2
fewer events
29%4
reduce food and
beverage spend
28%5
Innovation to manage cost
Top 10 tactics for managing uncertainty
fewer sta
at meetings
27%6
fewer giveaways/
corporate gifts
27%8
fewer attendees/
smaller meetings
27%7
fewer sessions
during events
25%9
change in
destination
24%10
In which of the following ways, if any, has current economic uncertainty (e.g. ination, changes to travel,
and meetings budget) impacted the meetings and events that you plan or manage?
“Encouraging bookings
with preferred suppliers
is central to our savings
strategy, helping to
consolidate spend and
strengthen negotiations.”
Nandor Fejes
Lead Category Manager, Fleet & Travel
Grundfos
9Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
38%54%
Meeting types in 2026
Across all meeting types, volume should be stable or increase.
The uptick in product launches suggests that companies are
bringing new products to market and see events as a vital
channel. Internal team meetings remain essential, continuing
a recent trend to reunite hybrid employees, improve
collaboration, and strengthen company culture.
Face-to-face formats continue to recover – more than half of
meeting professionals expect the majority of their meetings
to be in-person.
1Product launch
Growth meeting types
40%50%
2Internal team meeting
6%44%49%
3Conference without
trade show/exhibits
9%44%47%
4Conference with
trade show/exhibits
13%42%45%
5Incentive/special event
6%51%44%
6Senior leadership
meeting/board meeting
10%47%42%
7Client advisory board
11%50%38%
8Small/simple meeting
Stay same LessIncrease
Please indicate how the number of each of the following types of meetings you are expecting to hold in
2026 (in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats) are changing from last year.
11Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Making meaningful
connections
Meeting professionals understand that it’s vital to deliver
unforgettable events that leave a lasting impression, especially
in an economy that is now geared towards selling experiences.
With so many events competing with each other in the calendar,
creating an engaging – and, ideally, personalized – experience is
essential to stand out and draw in attendees. One-third of who?
put “improving the attendee experience with more memorable
events” as their top priority for 2026.
Meeting planners are constantly looking for the next big idea,
using AI or adapting concepts from other events to impress
attendees. Creating emotionally resonant experiences involves
a combination of neuroscience, psychology, and event
design, as an Amex GBT study, The Art & ScienceBehind
Unforgettable Events, explores.
In a screen-dominated world, people crave engaging,
in-person experiences.
12Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
With more generations in
today’s audiences, creating
engaging experiences is
increasingly challenging
For the rst time, ve generations are working side by side - the
widest age spread we’ve ever seen. “That creates both challenges
and opportunities for event organizers,” says Rebecca DeLuca,
vice president of destination sales at the Las Vegas Convention
& Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “Many successful events now design
micro-communities - tailored spaces and experiences shaped
by audience, budget, and goals – to make sure every generation
feels included and engaged.”
Emma Bason
Director of Global Venue Sourcing
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
“Attendees want to walk away feeling like
they’ve done something that wasn’t just
for work – that they’ve come away with the
story of being here. ‘I’ve tried this’. We did
this. We felt like this. I want to go back.”
Meeting professionals are seeing growing demand for face-
to-face engagement as audiences span more generations,
including Gen Z (aged 20 to 30). This has caused a move
away from the sprint-style and marathon-style sessions
that were once so popular. Sessions are shorter, allowing
for longer networking breaks. Increasingly, attendees want
events where they can be active participants and create
human connections.
more interactive sessions,
e.g., workshops
Audience expectations have shifted over
the last ve years. Attendees today want:
42%
1
meetings to include visible
sustainability
40%3
more social activities,
networking opportunities
40%
2
more personalized experiences
37%4
meetings and events
closer to where they based
34%5
In your opinion, how have attendee expectations of meetings and
events changed over the last ve years?
13Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
ability to host hybrid meetings
22%3
destination is safe and secure
for all attendees
34%3
With social media making it easier than ever to uncover the latest hotspots, meeting professionals know they need to do
more to captivate audiences who’ve seen it all. A venue might be a hotel – but it could be a museum, a local landmark, or
a sports stadium. The destination and venue can set the tone, shaping the mood and energy of the entire experience.
What gets a destination or venue onto the shortlist? Logistical factors – such as cost, ease of travel, and technology
capabilities – remain key. Safety is also important: a quarter of Global Forecast survey respondents cited ‘safety
concerns related to economic/political instability’ when it comes to choosing a meeting destination.
Location counts when it comes
to delivering dream experiences.
Key factors for destination and venue selection
destination is safe and secure
for all attendees
20%4
What are the top factors inuencing meeting venue / destination selection in 2026?
“A great venue today
must be a dynamic
environment, capable
of creating experiences
with people at its heart.
It has to be capable of
storytelling through
design. It has to promote
a sense of belonging,
facilitating genuine
human connection.”
safety concerns related to
economic/political instability
25%4
ease of travel and transportation
to location for attendees
26%2
ease of travel and transportation
to location for attendees
37%2
specic location type needed - e.g.
airport or near customer site
18%5
sustainability impact assessment
23%5
cost
30%1
cost
38%1
Destination Venue
Julien Houdebine
Global Chief Sales & Revenue Ocer,
Accor
14Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Balancing budget with great experiences
Meeting professionals want to meet and exceed growing attendee expectations – but they also identify
cost constraints as the top challenge to delivering expectations.
From ights and accommodations to catering and logistics, location impacts nearly every line item in
the event budget. It’s why many planners are shifting towards secondary cities and venues outside city
centers – but this isn’t always a straightforward swap.
“Meetings and events tend to be more emotional than travel.
You can provide all the data indicating an event held outside
of Paris is more economical, but people will not do it.
There’s an emotional desire to be in Paris.”
Marcella Wiegand
Director of Client Management
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
15Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Which of the following areas, if any, do you see as challenges for meeting planning in
2026? Which of the following, if any, are your main challenges in delivering the best
possible attendee experience at your meetings?
Creativity is key for ideating, designing, and delivering
experiences that resonate with attendees on a personal and
emotional level. But harnessing great ideas is not always easy.
Capturing creativity – does AI hold the answer?
Technology oers an answer, helping organizations
generate ideas, create engaging content, and monitor
the impact of the experience on attendees. A signicant
proportion of meeting professionals are planning to deploy
AI to help them achieve these goals.
“Creative ideation is critical in the entire event
process including planning, pre-event, on-site,
and post event. Creativity drives dierentiation
and makes sure attendees remember and enjoy
your experience more than others. With scrutiny
on ROI, no one can aord to run an event that
isn’t truly memorable and makes an impact.”
24%
of meeting professionals
agree that “developing
creative concepts” will be
a challenge for 2026.
18%
believe diculty getting creative
and brainstorming support
make it harder to deliver the
best possible experience. 34%
The creativity challenge
How AI can help meeting professionals
drive creativity in 2026
generating creative
concepts / themes
31% content creation
28% tracking attendee
engagement
For 2026, how, if at all, do you plan to use articial
intelligence (AI) specically for your meetings / events?
Rich Atkinson-Toal
Global Vice President of Brand & Experience Studio
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
16Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Sustainability is no longer optional. Attendees, especially younger
generations, expect events to reect this as a baseline. Almost one in four
meeting professionals say attendees demand visible sustainability actions
like reducing plastics and using sustainably-sourced food and drinks. The
expectation is that events leave a positive legacy – environmental, social,
and cultural. For many organizations (38%), this is now embedded
in their meetings policies.
Asked about their top priorities for the year ahead, however,
28% of meeting professionals admitted that improving sustainability
initiatives and measurement is still a pending item – behind reducing
costs and boosting attendee engagement.
Measurement, however, remains a gap. Only a quarter (25%) of
respondents currently track CO2e emissions; just 28% say they
will prioritize improvements to sustainability metrics in 2026.
Data is critical to quantify progress, justify spend, and demonstrate
ROI – helping to make the business case for sustainable meetings.
Sustainability – the new norm
Has your organization implemented any of the following sustainability practices?
“Sustainability is a business and social imperative,
but it is also personal. It’s emotive, drives loyalty,
and inspires. Post-event surveys consistently show
that well-executed sustainability ranks among
the top drivers of attendee engagement.”
Eloísa Urrutia
Head of Sustainability, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
Turning good intentions into action –
how meeting professionals are implementing
environmental sustainability.
said sustainable meetings and event policy
38%1
Oering sustainable food & beverages
(local, seasonal, and plant-based)
33%3
Minimizing disposables and prioritizing
sustainable materials and production
34%
2
Prioritizing sustainable venues
31%4
Waste avoidance practices
(e.g. food donation)
30%5
17Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
“When an event is designed
so everyone can participate
with comfort and condence,
it unlocks greater engagement
and stronger connections.
The more people feel they
truly belong in the experience,
the more powerful the
outcome becomes.”
Eloísa Urrutia
Head of Sustainability
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
Has your organization implemented any of the following modern meeting experience practices?
35%
said the organization has
implemented accessibility
measures, including
accessible transportation,
wheelchair-friendly venues,
captioning and sign-language,
and low-sensory rooms.
33%
have used inclusive content
and communications, such as
gender pronoun preferences
and diverse imagery in
meeting registration sites.
Meeting professionals are taking steps to make meetings
more inclusive for everyone
28%
have introduced measures
to enhance the on-site
experience, including inclusive
name badges, gender-neutral
bathrooms, and diverse
dietary options.
In today’s more open and interconnected world, inclusion is core to every successful meeting. Meeting
professionals are embedding not only accessibility, but also inclusion and cultural representation across
design, content, communication, sourcing, and even destination and food and beverage choices.
This broadens relevance and ensures events connect authentically with today’s audiences all attendees.
Social impact activities are gaining popularity too, as attendees look to give back to the event’s local
community, whether through initiatives like shared cooking with seniors, cultural exchanges with local
groups, or volunteering, as some industry panel members suggested. At the same time, wellness and
well-being are being integrated with more purpose, oering mindful breaks and restorative experiences
that help attendees feel energized, present, and engaged.
Together, these elements transform events into experiences that are both purposeful and personally engaging.
Inclusion to broaden engagement
18Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Meeting professionals’ priorities for 2026 reveal the complexity of their roles.
As noted, attendee experience is in pole position – but meetings professionals
are also thinking about how they can do more with data and control costs.
The focus for 2026 – top ve priorities
Meet the modern
meetings strategist
Today’s meeting professionals need to be strategists,
balancing a range of meeting program priorities.
Thinking about your program of events and meetings, what are your priorities for the year ahead?
said improve attendee experience with
more memorable events
33%1
said reduce costs
30%3
said improve processes for collection of data at the
event, e.g., attendance levels, attendee satisfaction
31%
2
said improve / incorporate sustainability
initiatives and metrics
28%4
said incorporate the latest technology
27%5
19Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Most meeting professionals today adopt industry best practices to drive priorities like managing cost, improving eciency, or standardizing
processes. Looking back to the 2025 Global Forecast, adoption has increased across many best practice areas. More than three quarters of
meeting professionals say they use meeting approval processes in the 2026 survey; in 2025 the equivalent gure was 47%.3
Meeting professionals embrace industry best practices*
Policy sits at the heart of a strategic approach
76% said meeting approval processes
said centralized sta for meeting
planning and execution
said specic technology or
software for managing meetings
said inclusion of small
/ simple meetings
68% said inclusion of virtual
and hybrid meetings
67% said inclusion and
culture considerations
66% said centralized contracting
with preferred vendors
64% said dened sustainability goals
To what extent, if at all, do you use the following practices in your meetings program?
73%
72%
68%
*For all or most meetings
3 2025 Global Meetings and Events Forecast. Amex GBT. October 2024.
20Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Organizations are adopting
industry best practices –
but this can only get them
so far. To be truly strategic,
these approaches need to be
embedded in the meetings
policy. Policy enables the
meeting professional to
communicate their priorities
to all stakeholders, internal
and external, and to dene
goals, processes, and
behaviors. The Global Forecast
survey reveals signicant
gaps between the use of best
practices and adoption of
policy. The implication is clear;
many meeting professionals
are still not taking advantage
of policy as a critical lever.
Which of the following components are explicitly included in your
organization’s meetings and events (M&E) policy?
Safety and security
36%
AI
28%
Procurement of meetings /
events goods and services
27%
Payment methods and processes associated
with meeting / events goods and services
27%
Approval process
27%
Virtual and hybrid meetings
specic policies
26%
Post-event satisfaction survey
26%
Use of meetings planning technology
25%
Use of preferred hotel / air /
transportation suppliers
25%
Health and wellness
25%
Accessibility and inclusion
25%
Strategic priorities not reected
in meetings policy
21Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Centralizing travel arrangements through group air management
– arranging ights for 10 or more people to the same event – can
simplify logistics and deliver a more seamless attendee experience.
Meeting professionals say 43% of 2026 meetings, on average,
will include group air management.
Streamlining relationships
with travel management
and air partners
“We’re seeing strong growth in demand for
incentives, meetings, and events. Planners
really value the exibility that group air
booking oers, and we pride ourselves on
being a one-stop-shop for group travel needs.
With competition rising for limited inventory,
we encourage meeting professionals to book
early for their 2026 events.”
Shannon Szoke
Director, Specialty Sales
Delta Air Lines
In a similar vein, meeting professionals can simplify planning by
partnering with a single provider for travel, meetings, and events.
One in two meeting specialists report they use the same provider
for both managed travel and meetings and events.
22Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Geopolitical events continue to lead the headlines,
generating uncertainty and concern about the risk
environment for meetings and events. Meeting
professionals are clear, however, about the actions
they can take to manage and mitigate risk.
Duty of care is a crucial lter when selecting event
cities – 34% of respondents prioritize safety, and
25% want economic and political stability.
As Jennifer Nelson, Vice President, Strategic
Meetings, Amex GBT Meetings & Events, explains:
Managing
meeting risks
Spotlight on
healthcare
professional
meetings
Pharmaceutical and healthcare professionals
are more optimistic about 2026 than other
industries. Almost 73% are “very optimistic”
about the year ahead, versus 62% on average
across all sectors. 60% say the number of
healthcare professional (HCP) meetings they’ll
hold in 2026 will increase, while 28% say the
number of HCP meetings will stay the same.
This likely reects the industry’s focus on
product development over the past 18 months,
with product pipelines now coming to fruition.
Meal caps remain an issue; 31% of pharma and
healthcare specialists see HCP meal caps as a
challenge for 2026. This chimes with ndings in
last year’s Forecast, when 15% of respondents
said HCP meal caps have a negative impact
and make it dicult to deliver a positive
attendee experience.4
“Planners are putting more emphasis
on on-site safety, evaluating venues’
emergency plans and coordinating
contingency measures.”
4 2025 Global Meetings and Events Forecast. Amex GBT. October 2024.
24Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
These eciency gains help free up time so meeting professionals can focus on what they love to do – creating
amazing attendee experiences. Streamlining processes via technology can also create space in budgets,
meaning funds can be redeployed to engage specialist support for creativity. And, of course, AI can be a tool
for creativity, particularly at the ideation stage.
When asked about the greatest benet of deploying technology, meeting professionals said they
valued most how it enabled them to deliver improved experiences.
Tech’s top benets – enabling improved experiences
“The range of technologies now available to meeting
professionals is exciting – and overwhelming. The
supplier landscape is fragmented, and it can be
dicult to make sourcing decisions with condence.
At Amex GBT, we have rigorous processes for
onboarding third-party supplier partners available
in our marketplace. They’ve been piloted, tested,
approved, and onboarded in our data privacy and
security process before we recommend them to
a client and use them on a client’s behalf.”
Ariana Reed
Director, Global Customer Experience
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
Delivering a more streamlined attendee experience
1
Enhancing productivity
3
Creating a more memorable attendee experience
2
Increasing creativity in event production
4
Reducing costs
5
Where do you see the greatest value and / or benet of using technology in your event program?
Technology elevates the attendee journey
Meeting professionals have embraced digital solutions to power productivity gains and eciency.
25Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Technology is transforming
meeting experiences. Advanced
audiovisual solutions, like LED
video walls and projection
mapping, create dynamic
lighting and striking eects
for in-person attendees – and
broadcast-quality visuals for
people joining online.
Creating interactive
experiences on-site said sophisticated AV technology
(e.g., LED video walls, AI camera tracking, etc.)
What technologies do you expect to use in your 2026 meetings and events?
35%
said live polling and feedback tools
31%
said onsite check-in tools
29%
said QR codes
26%
said digital gifting and sampling
23%
said virtual reality
20%
said wearable technology
19%
said digital photo booths
15%
said holographic
content delivery
15%
26Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Meeting specialists have been quick to understand how AI can enhance their work, right across the meetings journey. Half (50%) plan
to use generative AI (GenAI) for tasks such as agenda building, communications, or virtual assistants/chatbots for attendees and
planners in 2026. Four in ten (40%) will use AI-powered event apps with personalized agendas and smart networking suggestions.
AI at work right through the meeting journey
For 2026, how, if at all, do you plan to use articial intelligence (AI) specically for your meetings / events?
Event planning Attendee communications During event After event
said AI-powered matchmaking for attendees and sponsors
35%
said generating creative event concepts/themes
34%
said tracking attendee engagement
31%
25% said onsite usage
said post event evaluation
28%
said registration
23%
said event communications
35%
said chatbots
29%
said translation
23%
said content creation
31%
said optimizing event logistics
29%
said sourcing
20%
27Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Talking with our industry panel, it’s clear many meeting
professionals view AI as an ally, freeing them to
concentrate on strategy and creativity. For instance,
meeting planners can focus on creating an event that
engages their audience and advances organizational
goals, then use AI to explore venue ideas and identify
the perfect spot that ts their budget, capacity, location
requirements. M&E professionals’ skills and expertise
remain critical, however, to prompting AI, rening and
applying its outputs, as Rebecca DeLuca, LVCVA, explains:
“AI is a tool to enhance, not replace, our industry. It won’t
replace the vital role of meeting professionals, but it will
streamline functions, giving us more time to focus on
creativity, strategy, and human connection.”
Digital solutions define
event planning and
delivery. Are meetings
professionals ready to
manage the risks?
A key consideration in using meeting tech
tools is data privacy and security risks.
AI-driven personalization, for example,
often relies on collecting and analyzing
participant data, which can be perceived
as a form of proling. To comply with ever-
evolving privacy regulations, organizations
must adopt appropriate safeguards.
In response, meeting professionals are
starting to implement AI-related guidelines
in their meeting policies, with 28% of
respondents to the Global Forecast survey
noting their companies have done so.
As companies onboard more meeting
technology providers, they need to
thoroughly review each third party’s data
privacy and security policies to make sure
information is managed responsibly.
“AI will soon power much of what
happens behind the curtain, acting
as a critical assistant that helps event
organizers reduce planning friction
and enable more personalized face-
to-face moments at scale. But even
as technology advances, events will
continue to be decidedly human. In
fact, in an AI and tech-driven world,
authentic connections will likely
stand out even more.”
McNeel Keenan
Vice President, Product Development
Cvent
28Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Which of the following components are explicitly included in your
organization’s meetings and events (M&E) policy?
For 2026, how, if at all, do you plan to use articial intelligence
(AI) specically for your meetings / events?
Capturing the value of meetings in numbers is not
straightforward. How do you quantify the impact of
being able to network, connect face-to-face, and share
ideas in person?
“The value of an event is much easier to quantify
when it’s a trade show. You can measure the number
of people who stop by the booth and who you have
conversations with,” explains Marcella Wiegand,
Director of client management at Amex GBT Meetings
& Events. “But when it comes to internal meetings, it’s
hard to quantify the value. And yet, I hear it on a very
regular basis: people get upset when those internal
meetings are cut.”
Organizations are nonetheless seeking numbers to
demonstrate the value of their investments, helped
by the increasing quantity of data available.
24%
of meeting professionals
include ROI metrics in
meetings policy
26%
have guidelines for post-
event satisfaction surveys
in the policy
Measuring meetings
ROI or ROE?
Meeting professionals have long wanted to be
able to measure return on investment (ROI) in
meetings. Maybe we need to look at return on
experience instead.
36%
plan to use data and ROI measurement tools in 2026
“It’s hard to consistently track ROI for
events. But now that we have so many
data points, it’s easier to say, ‘This is
why we spent $1 million.’”
Ariana Reed
Director, Global Customer Experience
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
29Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
But there’s another way to think about measuring the success of meetings. Given so
much of the value of meetings and events lies in their emotional impact, understanding
the ‘Return on Experience’ (ROE) of an event could be a more meaningful metric.
“Return on experience pinpoints how an event delivered against
its strategic and creative objectives. Did attendees walk away
feeling engaged and inspired? Did they learn something
new? Did their opinions about the organization or company
change? Where did the creativity deliver, and where did it fall
short? These are the insights that will unlock more impactful
meetings – and more ecient event spend – in the future.”
Rich Atkinson-Toal
Global Vice President of Brand & Experience Studio
Amex GBT Meetings & Events
Julien Houdebine
Global Chief Sales & Revenue Ocer
Accor
AI is essential for ROE, enabling event monitoring via badge scans and session check-ins,
transforming behavioral data into actionable insights. 28% of meeting professionals plan
to use AI for post-event evaluation in 2026, with that proportion likely to increase in the
future. In a world where event organizers must compete to get attendees to commit their
time and attention, understanding ROE will better equip meeting professionals to attract
attendees to future events.
Companies are now evaluating
events across three key metrics:
return on investment, carbon
impact, and return on experience.
Return on experience is a
qualitative metric that seeks to
answer the question – did the
event deliver on the emotional
needs of attendees?”
30Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Take the rst steps to measuring ROE
Set your
ROE goals
At the start of the event
planning process, identify
the emotional needs and
expectations of your attendees.
What do they hope to
experience at your event? What
feelings and responses do you
aim to achieve? This will help
you dene the qualitative goal
for your ROE assessment.
1
Use technology to
understand impact
Monitoring attendee sentiment
and gathering feedback, both
during and post-event, is
simpler and faster than ever,
thanks to new technologies
including AI. Use digital tools
to gather the data and insights
that will support your ROE
assessment. This can help you
identify the extent to which
attendees had the emotional
response you dened at the
event planning stage.
2
Review, report,
rene
Use the data you’ve gathered to
measure success against your
original ROE goal, sharing this
with stakeholders alongside
qualitative metrics, such as
nancial insights and carbon
measurement. Identify where
the event delivered on its
experiential goals, and where
there were gaps, or aspects
that didn’t prompt the desired
response. Use these insights
to rene your approach for the
next event.
3
31Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Five action areas for 2026
Key considerations to help meeting professionals succeed in the year ahead.
Be a voice for
meetings in your
organization
Budgets are set to rise, but
costs are rising too. Consider
how you can become an
eective advocate within your
organization to secure the
investment you need to deliver
great experiences.
Take advantage
of today’s tech to
measure and improve
Find opportunities
to get creative
31Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Make space for
attendees in
your agenda
Use sustainability
to increase your
event’s appeal
Technology oers new ways to
capture the value of meetings.
Think about how you can
harness these data insights
to enhance engagement,
improve program eciency,
and help drive high quality
conversations with your
colleagues and leaders.
Fresh, original ideas that inspire
audiences - is the essential
ingredient for engaging events.
Our industry panel emphasizes
the importance of incorporating
creativity at every stage of the
event lifecycle. How can you
nurture creativity throughout
your event program?
Event goers are looking for
more ways to interact with your
event and socialize with other
attendees. A great event doesn’t
mean an intensely packed
agenda. Think about how you
can create opportunities for
people to get together to solve
problems, get to know each
other, or just hang out.
We’re all familiar with
sustainability checklists but
think about how you can go
beyond compliance to use
sustainability as a creative and
brand advantage. Use the latest,
technology-driven measurement
tools to prove that doing good is
also good business.
1 2 3 4 5
32Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Optimistic about the
health of the sector
in 2026
Overall spend on M&E
increasing for 2026
More than half of meetings
will be in-person only
Top ranking priority
for the year ahead
Top planned use
of AI in 2026
Top meetings
destinations for 2026
Latin America
North America Europe Asia-Pacic
Regional
views
1. Las Vegas
2. Chicago
3. New York
4. Orlando
5. Dallas
AI-powered
matchmaking for
attendees and sponsors
Incorporating the
latest technology
advancements
93%
45%
95%
1. Mexico City
2. Bogota
3. Buenos Aires
4. Sao Paulo
5. Cancun
AI-powered
matchmaking for
attendees and sponsors
Improving the attendee
experience with more
memorable events
79%
43%
85%
1. London
2. Madrid
3. Barcelona
4. Amsterdam
5. Paris
Event communications
Reducing costs
91%
46%
90%
1. Singapore
2. Bangkok
3. Sydney
4. To k yo
5. Bali
Event communications
Improving the attendee
experience with more
memorable events
74%
52%
82%
33Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
North America
Regional insights
Meeting professionals in North America lead the world when it comes
to optimism – but they’re also cleareyed about the challenges they face
in the year ahead. They understand they’re competing to win attendees’
precious time and attention. And they’re all too aware that fast rising
costs could erode their ability to deliver the experiences that today’s
audiences expect.
Local perspectives on the trends for 2026, provided by Amex GBT
Meetings & Events team members around the world.
Outlook
2026 will be a big year for events in North America which meeting
professionals will need to work around and plan for. This includes the
FIFA World Cup across the US, Mexico, and Canada, the celebrations
for the US’s 250th birthday and Taylor Swift’s wedding.
Top priorities
Technology is the big story; customers are asking how they can
use AI to become more productive, reduce costs, and how they can
incorporate AI into the attendee experience in a meaningful way.
Customers are also looking at exible contract terms to mitigate
risks and plan for the unexpected.
What to watch out for
34Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Latin America
Customers are upbeat about connecting in-person and investing in
experiences. Cost is the #1 issue, particularly in countries like Argentina
where ination is constant challenge, with uctuating costs from initial
sourcing to contracting. Planners are caught between rising costs
and rising attendee experiences; how can they deliver an exceptional
experience without breaking the piggy bank?
Outlook
There’s a lot of excitement about how AI could save time and cost
which can be recycled into attendee experience. But education
will be key – historically, we’ve seen some cautiousness in Latin
America when it comes to adopting a new technology.
Top priorities
Attendee experience is as key focus for customers in Latin America,
just as we see elsewhere. Customers are also looking at exible
contract terms, including more generous cancellations – it’s an
unpredictable world, after all.
What to watch out for
35Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Europe
Meeting professionals in Europe share in the global optimism about the
sector’s prospects in 2026. And – as seen globally – there are concerns
about costs and macroeconomic uncertainty.
Outlook
2026 is a big year for sport. In February, the Milano Cortina 2026
Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place across 25
venues in northern Italy. Leipzig will host the UEFA Conference
League Final in May and the Commonwealth Games are coming
to Glasgow in July and August. These major sporting events will
likely have a signicant impact on availability.
Top priorities
Given ination concerns, it’s no surprise that meeting professionals
are targeting cost reduction and savings. AI is a particular focus for
conversations about productivity gains and cost controls. But meeting
professionals are also exploring AI’s role in service improvement
and attendee experience. Speaking of experience, we’re see growing
demand for imaginative, unexpected venues that will have a real
impact with attendees.
What to watch out for
36Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Asia Pacic
Many customers in Asia Pacic increasingly view meetings and events
as critical to business growth. But they are also more or less cost
conscious than they were in the past, perhaps reecting geopolitical
and economic uncertainty.
Outlook
2026 will bring multiple large-scale events to Asia Pacic
which need to be on meeting professionals’ agendas. These
include Energy Week 2026 in Goa, India, in January, the Rugby
League World Cup in Australia in February, the Boao Forum for
Asia in Hainan, China, in March, and the Formula 1 Singapore
Grand Prix in October. These major sporting events will likely
have a signicant impact on availability.
Top priorities
Meeting professionals across the region face the same challenge as
their peers globally – how to satisfy ever higher attendee expectations
while rising costs, particularly for upper end venues and reduce the
real value of meetings budgets. Sustainability is a recurring theme, also
driven by rising client expectations. Technology will continue to play a
central role in meetings, whether it’s using AI to improve delivery and
engagement on hybrid meeting formats or immersive technologies to
deliver creative, more engaging experiences.
What to watch out for
37Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2026
Acknowledgments
2026 interview panel and contributors
• Rich Atkinson-Toal, Global Vice President, Brand & Experience Studio, Amex GBT
Meetings & Events
• Emma Bason, Director, Global Venue Sourcing, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
• Rebecca DeLuca, Vice President of Destination Sales, Las Vegas Convention &
Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
• Nandor Fejes, Lead Category Manager, Fleet & Travel, Grundfos
• Margit Glintborg, Lead Meeting Manager, Grundfos
• Julien Houdebine, Global Chief Sales & Revenue Ocer, Accor
• McNeel Keenan, Vice President, Product Development, Cvent
• Jennifer Nelson, Vice President, Strategic Meetings, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
• Ariana Reed, Director, Global Customer Experience, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
• Frank Staud, Executive Vice President of Global Communications, Branding &
Sponsoring, Stada
• Shannon Szoke, Director, Specialty Sales Channels - MICE, Sports & University,
Military & Government, Tour, and Cruise, Delta Air Lines
• Eloísa Urrutia, Head of Sustainability, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
• Marcella Wiegand, Director, Client Management, Amex GBT Meetings & Events
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